Alfie Conn, Sr.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alfred Conn | ||
| Date of birth | 2 October 1926 | ||
| Place of birth | Prestonpans, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 7 January 2009 (aged 82) | ||
| Place of death | Glenrothes, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Playing position | Inside Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Prestonpans YMCA | |||
| – | Inveresk Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1944–1958 | Hearts | 223 | (115) |
| 1958–1960 | Raith Rovers | 34 | (15) |
| 1960 | Johnannesburg Ramblers | ||
| National team | |||
| 1948–1955 | Scottish League XI[1] | 3 | (2) |
| 1956 | Scotland | 1 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1960 | Johnannesburg Ramblers | ||
| 1960–1962 | Gala Fairydean | ||
| 1962–1963 | Raith Rovers | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Alfred "Alfie" Conn (2 October 1926 – 7 January 2009) was a Scottish professional footballer, most commonly remembered as part of the Terrible Trio of the Heart of Midlothian side of the 1950s, along with Willie Bauld and Jimmy Wardhaugh. He was born in Prestonpans, East Lothian.
Conn joined Hearts from Inveresk Athletic in 1944, making his debut later that year in a 4–0 win over Dumbarton in a wartime Southern League match. He established himself in the first team in the 1948–49 season, when first combined with Bauld and Wardhaugh. Conn's energetic, tenacious style and powerful shooting perfectly complemented the cerebral play of Bauld and the dazzling dribbling of Wardhaugh, and their first match as a forward trio resulted in a 6–1 victory over East Fife. The Terrible Trio continued to score freely in the following 5 seasons, Conn notching 102 goals, as Hearts became regular top four finishers, yet defensive inconsistency ensured they failed to collect any silverware.
Conn eventually won his first medal in the 1954–55 season, when Hearts defeated Motherwell 4–2 in the 1954 Scottish League Cup Final.[2] The following season, Conn scored as Hearts defeated Celtic 3–1 in the 1956 Scottish Cup Final, their first triumph in that competition for 50 years.[2] Two weeks later, Conn attained his only Scotland cap, scoring in a 1–1 draw with Austria.[2] Conn suffered a serious ankle injury, however, and managed only 15 league appearances over the following two seasons.[2] He played a bit-part role in Hearts League title success in 1957–58 before transferring to Raith Rovers in search of regular first team football.
He retired in 1960, and had a brief spell as manager of both Gala Fairydean and Raith Rovers.[2] After his footballing days were over, Conn had the pleasure of watching his son, Alfie junior, establish a successful footballing career of his own, notably with both Rangers and Celtic. Conn Sr. died on 7 January 2009, at the age of 82.[3]
References
- ↑ "Alfie Conn". Londonhearts.com (London Hearts Supporters' Club). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lomax, Andrew (7 January 2009). "Hearts legend Alfie Conn senior dies aged 82". Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ↑ Scotsman.com Obituary
- Sources
- Hogan, Andrew (1995). Hearts in Art (Hardback). Mainstream. ISBN 1-85158-736-5.
External links
- Appearances at londonhearts.com
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